Lawmakers have raised serious concerns over the Burundian government’s expenditure on office rentals, which far outweighs the income generated from renting out its own properties. During a parliamentary session on Thursday, lawmakers examined a report on the second, third, and fourth quarters of the 2023-2024 fiscal year, which revealed that the government spends over 9 billion BIF on renting offices while earning only around 500 million BIF from properties it rents out.
“This imbalance is deeply concerning,” one Member of Parliament (MP) stated. “The government spends exorbitant amounts on rentals while collecting very little in return. If an individual were in the government’s position, they would not sustain this. It’s high time the government considered building its own offices to cut costs.”
The lawmakers suspect foul play, questioning whether private individuals or companies may be exploiting this arrangement for profit. “It’s unacceptable,” an MP emphasized. “We should investigate if there are individuals or entities inflating these rental agreements.”
Lawmakers urged the Ministry of Finance to address these irregularities urgently. They proposed a comprehensive review of all government leases and their terms, ensuring that fair and reasonable rates are applied. “A full audit is necessary,” said MP Ndizeye Dieudonné. “Many of these rental agreements date back to 2018, and most have not been updated. It’s likely that outdated agreements are causing the government to overpay while receiving minimal returns.”
The lawmakers further suggested that the government rehabilitate abandoned state-owned properties across the country, many of which have fallen into disrepair. They argued that using these properties for government offices could significantly reduce rental expenses.
Minister of Finance Nestor Ntahontuye acknowledged the concerns and promised immediate action. “We will swiftly compile a detailed inventory of all government-leased properties, including their rental costs and terms. This will allow us to address the disparities and review all agreements to ensure they are beneficial to the government,” he said.
Ntahontuye admitted that it was problematic for the government to rent offices while also renting out its own properties at low rates. “This issue stems from oversight, and we need to rectify it,” he said. “Moving forward, we will also explore how we can fully utilize state-owned buildings to avoid unnecessary rental expenses.”
Lawmakers called for long-term planning, urging the government to include a strategy for building state-owned offices in future budgets. “We must aim for autonomy,” one MP stated. “The billions we currently spend on rent could be redirected to more productive projects if the government owned its office buildings.”
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